Ethiopia's government said it was aware of this week's incident, but could not confirm if it was a kidnapping.

"The government is monitoring the situation," an information ministry spokesman said.

The government requires all convoys visiting the area to have a minimum of two cars and travel with armed guards because of the threat of bandits.

In 1995, nine Italian tourists were captured by Afar tribesmen, then released two weeks later.

Afar separatists began a low-level rebellion against the Addis Ababa government in the 1990s, calling for the creation of a separate Afar state on territory which straddles Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti.